


Coming Home to You

by Nemain



Series: Luck and Good Timing [5]
Category: The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Boys In Love, Comfort, Comfort Food, Crunch is garbage, Dorks in Love, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Sexual Content, Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani and Nicky | Nicolò di Genova are in Love, Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani is an Incurable Romantic, M/M, Nicky | Nicolò di Genova Needs a Hug, Post Coffee-Shop-AU, Tenderness, Yusuf al-Kaysani is The Best Boyfriend, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-12
Updated: 2020-10-12
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:41:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26978275
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nemain/pseuds/Nemain
Summary: When Nicky's game studio goes into crunch mode and he starts having to put in serious overtime, Yusuf does his best to look after his boyfriend and remind him that he is loved, while also distracting himself from the loneliness.  Two months shouldn't be this hard.
Relationships: Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova
Series: Luck and Good Timing [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1916047
Comments: 12
Kudos: 188





	Coming Home to You

**Author's Note:**

> Set a couple months after the epilogue of Luck and Good Timing, but can be read as a stand-alone. Nicky and Yusuf met in a coffee shop, fell in love, and moved in together; Nicky works in video games and Yusuf is a self-employed artist and graphic designer.

Yusuf is at his desk, on a call with a client, when Nicky storms into their apartment with all the drama of a stage diva. He sweeps in, throws his shoulder bag to the floor, and collapses backwards across the couch as if he has come down with the vapors, throwing his arms over his face and sighing loudly. Just beneath his arm, Yusuf can make out Nicky’s out-thrust lower lip. It is quite a performance, and Yusuf vaguely wonders if he should be worried at how charmed he is by it, before remembering that he is charmed by literally everything that Nicky does. Sadly, as much as he wants to go over to the couch and try to burrow through Nicky’s arms to his face and see if he can trigger some of his lover’s delightful giggles, he does have a work call to finish. He keeps talking, making an apologetic gesture to the grey eye he can see peeking out at him. The lower lip juts out further, and an even louder sigh emerges from behind the arms, but Yusuf forces himself away so he can focus on whatever nonsense his client is spouting about colour schemes and wanting a logo similar enough to a major brand, but not so similar as to get sued. Because apparently Lululemon will never notice the copyright infringement if the circle is pink.

By the time Yusuf finishes talking his client into allowing him to actually do his job by creating something original and ends the call, Nicky’s posture has relaxed significantly and gentle snores come from behind the arms that are still barricaded in front of his face. Yep, still charming. Yusuf still can’t believe he is so lucky to have Nicky come home to him every day; they've only been living together for two months and he is sure this delirious feeling will settle eventually, but for now he basks in the glow of domestic bliss. Even if the reason for that bliss now seems to be drooling slightly. Yusuf smiles and brushes his fingers softly over his boyfriend’s bare ankle on his way into the kitchen, only waking Nicky once he has food ready on the table. 

“Babe, dinner’s ready.” He gently runs his hands over Nicky’s arms until his lover groans and opens a bleary eye, before holding his hands out for help up. Yusuf loves Nicky’s loose-limbed sleepiness as he guides him off the couch and into his arms before steering him to the table, even more because it is so rare. Nicky is the morning person, instantly fully awake the moment his eyes open. Now, though, he stumbles a bit and leans into Yusuf, turning his face up for a kiss when he is deposited in his chair. 

They chat companionably while they eat, but Nicky does not bring up whatever had sent him into the apartment in such a petulant mood. Yusuf doesn’t want to spoil their dinner by pursuing it, but at the same time it feels wrong not to acknowledge that something was bothering his boyfriend. Finally, he takes a deep breath and asks, “so, how was your day?” 

Nicky scowls and shoves a huge bite of rice and vegetables into his mouth before emphatically saying, “zzzzhev mngdted grunksh!” 

“I think my Italian might be rusty,” Yusuf replies dryly. 

Nicky swallows and repeats himself. “Our GM mandated crunch. The game is behind where it should be, and we need to ship it in time for Christmas. Meaning mandatory overtime.” 

“So how does that work?” Yusuf, of course, is well acquainted with the final push to finish a big project, but being self-employed, he isn’t familiar with how it works for other people. 

“It’s different every time, and at every studio. This time, for us, they’ve said all hands on deck. For now, six days a week, twelve hour days at least. But if things don’t get sorted quickly, I wouldn’t be surprised if they ask for more.” He continues to glare at his plate as if it has wronged him deeply. 

Yusuf's stomach twists at the thought of having Nicky away from him so much, and he can tell from his beloved’s slumped shoulders and dour expression that he is not the only one distressed. “How long will this last for, do you think?” 

“Until we ship, really.” Nicky sighs and rubs his hands over his face the way he only does when under extreme stress. “We will probably have to keep chasing bugs after we go gold, so we are ready with a day one patch. So… probably the beginning of November?” 

“Two months?” Yusuf is working really hard to hide his dismay; the last thing that Nicky needs right now is to have to manage Yusuf’s disappointment as well as his own. 

“I know, I’m so sorry. I should have warned you about this; I think I was just scared to. I’ve seen people’s relationships end over crunch before, and I love you so much, and…” He trails off, curling in on himself in worry. “I was scared,” he repeats quietly. 

“No, babe, my love, it’s fine. You have nothing to be afraid of. Two months isn’t that bad, and it will be over in time for you to take time at Christmas.” He keeps his tone bright and reassuring; his heart is tearing itself in two at the sight of Nicky looking so small and vulnerable with his shoulders slumped in like that. 

“It’s bullshit, and it happens with almost every game at the end. Even when they promise us it won’t,” he adds darkly, stabbing at a carrot with more violence than seems strictly necessary. 

Yusuf smiles softly at his beloved and reaches over to take his hand, gently kissing his fingers. “We can figure it out. And no matter how many hours you have to put in at the studio, how many days you have to be there, I’ll be here when you get back. I will always be here for you. I can handle anything knowing you are coming home to me.” 

Nicky looks at their joined hands, and squeezes his fingers, before turning his fond gaze to Yusuf, mouth twisting into a tiny half-smile. “You’re an incurable romantic.” 

They finish eating dinner and the rest of the evening passes much more pleasantly. 

*** 

When Nicky’s overtime starts the next day, Yusuf suddenly finds that their perfect apartment is, in fact, too big. Where usually they get up together and share some time before work, today Nicky wakes him up to say goodbye and is gone before Yusuf has really blinked himself into consciousness. The kitchen is too big when he’s just making the coffee and breakfast for himself, the table is too big when it's just him sitting at it. He knows it’s ridiculous, as he’s spent the weekdays alone here since they first moved in while Nicky is at work, but something about the change in routine and the knowledge that Nicky will be home late changes things. He throws himself into his work, hoping it will help him feel less like a ghost haunting an old manor house. 

When Yusuf takes his lunch break, he checks in with Nicky. He’s not really expecting an immediate response to his text, but wants to do whatever he can to help ease his boyfriend’s burden. 

_ < Hey, just checking in to say that I love you. Also, what do you want for dinner? I can have it waiting > _ He leaves off his usual sign off of “I miss you,” figuring it would just rub salt in a very open wound. 

A few minutes later, his phone buzzes, and he’s glad Nicky isn’t there to see his face fall. _ < No, its okay. They buy us dinner. It’s the least they can do for putting us through this hell > _

Yusuf swallows his disappointment, sure that, as miserable as he is, Nicky is a thousand times worse off. _ < Okay, let me know if you change your mind, babe > _

Yusuf can see the typing icon appear and disappear several times over the next couple minutes before Nicky finally replies. _ < God i love you. You’re right, knowing I’m coming home to you is getting me through this nightmare. I miss you > _

It’s the last Yusuf hears from Nicky until he walks in the door at 9:30 that night. 

Yusuf manages to fill his days with work, and spends his evenings working on his graphic novel dream project, finding the time to be surprisingly productive. It’s amazing how much he can accomplish in a couple hours when he’s not constantly distracted by the need to be staring at Nicky, or kissing Nicky, or sneaking up behind Nicky and wrapping his limbs around him like an octopus. Still, he definitely would rather have the distraction than the loneliness. 

Those first couple weeks, Nicky comes home clearly tired, but he puts on a show of good spirits. He buries himself in Yusuf’s arms with a smile, telling him about the way his coworkers had rushed the dinner buffet like those videos of shoppers at target on Black Friday, or how the programmers have already abandoned shoes and are just going into the communal bathrooms in their sock feet to the collective horror of the rest of the team, before they on tangle up on the couch together and watch an episode or two of _Schitt’s Creek_ before bed. The first night, Yusuf suggests skipping it, but is firmly rebuffed, as they had gotten into it late and Nicky is determined they catch up in time for the new season. 

“I’m not going to let my stupid dumpster fire of a job interfere with this,” he declares stubbornly, as he grabs the remote. Yusuf doesn’t argue, and this becomes a pleasant routine to help Nicky set aside the day. 

Afterwards, they snuggle into bed and Yusuf tells him about his client meetings and his progress on the graphic novel until he can feel Nicky relax in his arms and settle into sleep. 

Saturdays are harder, of course. That first week, Yusuf has a full and rewarding day with the refugee organization he volunteers with, and he forgets to be sad. The second weekend, when he has no plans and no Nicky, the longing and loneliness come rushing back full force. Yusuf loves Saturdays with Nicky. This is the day they should spend a lazy morning in bed before running errands that are a lot less tedious when accomplished with the love of his life. Instead, Yusuf wakes alone, and runs the errands alone, and returns home to an empty apartment with a desolate afternoon and evening stretching out before him. _This is stupid,_ he tells himself sternly, as he suddenly decides to scrub the place from top to bottom, and also organize all the cupboards. _It’s one day and some evenings. You’ve been alone before. Hell, with your last boyfriend, you would have killed to have this much free time without him around. You are a grown-ass adult and you will survive._ Somehow, this just makes him feel worse. The last thing he does is carefully put Nicky’s book on his side of the couch, so it is ready for his nightly ritual of reading before bed. 

When Nicky walks in the door that night, Yusuf rushes him the way dogs do to soldiers returning from a tour of duty; some secret, honest part of his brain knows that, if Nicky only sat on the floor, Yusuf would crawl into his lap like a golden retriever. When he finally releases Nicky, Yusuf can see the deep circles under his eyes, like bruises. Still, he doesn’t mention them, and when Nicky insists he is up for a movie, Yusuf doesn’t argue. The last thing he wants to do is add his worry to the burden Nicky is already carrying. Instead, they curl up on the couch in front of the tv, but before the end of the first act, Nicky is asleep on Yusuf’s chest; Yusuf stops it, since it’s one he knows Nicky to see, and puts on some mindless Netflix comedy, instead. 

As Yusuf lies there with Nicky sprawled against his chest, softly running his fingers through his beloved’s sandy hair, he wonders at the enormity of his love for this man He feels overcome by it, like he loves him too much for his body to contain it, like an entire galaxy is being born in his chest. Sometimes, he opens his mouth to speak, to say something mundane, but the sheer force of his love pushes past his lips instead and all he is left with is poetry. Nicky had called their meeting destiny once, and nothing in these past couple of months had done anything to disprove that. With his head full of thoughts of destiny and forever, Yusuf manages to maneuver Nicky off the couch and into bed with minimal fuss, where he sleeps for twelve straight hours. 

*** 

By the middle of the third week, Nicky starts texting Yusuf in horrified tones about what has been brought in for dinner that night. Attached is a picture of some indeterminate greasy lump buried in what a beige substance that could only charitably be called cheese. 

The next evening, right before his usual dinner break, Yusuf calls Nicky from the front door of his office building. “Come down and get your dinner.” 

Yusuf’s heart clenches to see Nicky’s weary face transformed with joy as he peers into the bag full of containers to see Yusuf has brought him one of his favorite home-made comfort meals. He roots through to see the containers of potatoes, roasted chickpeas, and salad. 

“Is this tzatziki?” 

“Homemade.” Yusuf replies with a grin. 

Nicky spends a good two minutes facedown in the bag, just breathing in the flavors, before looking up with a smile that is almost unshadowed. “Aromatherapy,” he says with a laugh, by way of explanation. “Thank you for this. You take such good care of me.” 

Yusuf shrugs awkwardly, with one shoulder, eyes skating away from the gratitude he can see on Nicky’s face. “I love you. Of course I’m going to do what I can to make this easier on you.” 

Somehow, Nicky manages to throw his arms around his boyfriend without dropping the bag of food. He buries his face in Yusuf’s neck, nuzzling a bit at his beard. “Next time, you should stay for a bit. I know it’s not as comfortable as home, but we could maybe eat dinner together?” 

And so, it becomes a ritual, not every night, but at least a few nights a week - Yusuf brings the food, they sit on the front steps of the fancy office building and eat together, before Nicky has to go back inside. Cold concrete steps, surrounded by imposing glass towers and lawyers striding past, are not quite up to their normal date night standards, but any excuse to spend time together is worth taking. The menu varies. Sometimes it’s homemade, one of Nicky’s comfort meals, and sometimes it’s from one of their favourite restaurants. When Nicky really seems down, Yusuf brings falafels. Nicky always gives him a blissful smile when he sees them, and Yusuf knows he is remembering the meal they ate right before admitting they loved each other for the first time. The wraps are horribly messy, not intended to be eaten without a mountain of napkins and a sink nearby, and their kisses afterward smell strongly of garlic, and it is always absolutely perfect. Yusuf never would have predicted that the taste of tahini on his lover’s tongue would set fire to his veins, but here he is and he has no regrets. 

The rest of Yusuf’s evening routine in the following weeks varies a bit. Sometimes he meets up with some combination of Andy, Booker, and Nile to catch up, though he always makes sure he is home before Nicky. Sometimes he stays home and works on his graphic novel; no matter how tired Nicky is when he gets home, he insists Yusuf update him on his progress and show him what he’s added to the work. Yusuf doesn’t know how he still manages to ask intelligent questions after his twelve hour work day, and he loves his boyfriend so much he feels ready to burst with it. 

Even with the dinners and the quiet times to reconnect at the end of the day, Nicky’s moods grow progressively darker as the weeks pass. He is tired and frustrated, and while Yusuf can see that he is trying to bury it, he still snaps at Yusuf over minor irritations, and then feels intensely guilty afterwards. Then, one dark and gloomy October Saturday, Nicky arrives home bearing news that he needs to start working on Sundays, too. He delivers the news in a broken voice, folding in on himself on the couch and refusing to make eye contact. 

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” he whispers to Yusuf. 

“Babe, you have nothing to be sorry for. I just want to make sure we take care of you during this.” 

“I’m just gone so much. You didn’t sign up for this. It’s not fair.” He takes a shuddering breath, and wraps his arms around himself as if he fears he will break into a million pieces like shattered glass. 

Knowing there is nothing he can really say to make it better, Yusuf pulls him off of the couch and leads him into a hot shower. Under the soothing beat of the water, he strokes Nicky’s back while Nickys sobs hot tears into his chest. “I love you, I will always love you, I will always be here for you to come home to. We will get through this.” He whispers it into Nicky’s ear like a prayer, like a promise. He repeats it when they are in bed, pressing the words into his skin in benediction, as he lays wrapped protectively around Nicky’s back, until his lover falls asleep. 

The next day, the one day they should have off together but don’t, Yusuf notices that Nicky’s book is in the same place by the couch that it has been since he started crunch, and that his bookmark hasn’t moved since the beginning of September, before all this overtime started. It’s such a small thing, but Yusuf doesn’t have to maintain the strong facade with Nicky at work, and he finally allows the despair and loneliness of the past weeks to break free. After, as he wipes the tears from his cheeks, he resolves to make these last few weeks as easy as possible for his beloved; he can’t change the hours Nicky has to work or make his co-workers more reasonable, but he can do his best to remind Nicky how much he loves him. Every day for the next three weeks, Nicky finds little love notes with his coffee in the morning, treats hidden in his work bag, and a steaming mug of tea waiting every night when he arrives home. Yusuf starts dropping off dinner every night, even though Nicky is so busy he has to eat at his desk; they may not eat together, but Yusuf tries to fill the few minutes they see each other, and the kisses they exchange in those moments, with the full weight of his love and devotion. He likes to think it helps. 

Finally, on a random Tuesday in early November, Yusuf is shocked to hear the apartment door open at two in the afternoon. Nicky comes in with a triumphant smile on his face, wider than Yusuf has seen in two months, and throws his shoulder bag to the floor. 

“It’s launch day. It’s over.” 

“So that means…,” Yusuf trails off, hopeful but not wanting to say in case he is wrong. 

“No more crunch.” Nicky finishes, laughing in relief. 

Yusuf leaps up and throws himself into his boyfriend’s embrace. For several blissful minutes, all either of them are aware of is the press of lips, the slide of tongues, and the mingling of their increasingly heavy breath. Finally, Yusuf tears his mouth away from Nicky’s searching lips with a pained groan. “As much as I would like to continue this long overdue conversation to its natural conclusion, I have client meetings scheduled all afternoon.” 

Nicky laughs. “To be honest, I will probably fall asleep the second I’m horizontal.” Yusuf believes it; the hollows under Nicky’s eyes have only gotten progressively more purple over the past weeks and his face has an unhealthy gauntness to it. “Why don’t I have a nap and we pick this back up once you are done.” 

Yusuf expects him to head into the bedroom, but instead he stretches out on the couch, pulling a throw over himself. At Yusuf’s surprised expression, he blushes faintly and says, “We’ve been apart too much lately; I know I won’t be conscious, but I just need to be near you.” 

“I think I can handle that.” Yusuf brushes his lips across Nicky's forehead as he tucks him in, before returning to his desk. 

Five hours later, Yusuf kisses Nicky awake, and leads him to his waiting dinner. Nicky’s eyes cross with pleasure at the first bite, and he groans. “I missed this. Missed you. You were right, though.” 

Yusuf gives him a questioning glance, but doesn’t interject. He’s so starved for Nicky’s company after these two months, he would happily take a vow of silence if it meant he could listen to nothing but the sound of his beloved’s voice for the rest of his life. 

“When this started, you said that everything would be okay because I would be coming home to you. And you were right. Those few stolen minutes when you came to drop off dinner for me, and knowing that, no matter how bad it got at work, you would be here when I got home… That’s what got me through it.” He stares into Yusuf’s eyes as he twines their fingers together. “I would do anything to be able to come home to you. I love you so much.” 

“And you say I’m an incurable romantic,” Yusuf says in a choked voice; he is completely unable to conjure up any of his usual swagger. “I love you too. More than I have words to say.” He kisses the back of Nicky’s hand, letting his lips linger for a moment. “So, now that you’re free, what do you want to do with your time?” 

Nicky looks thoughtful for a moment, as if he is running through a list in his head; the light behind him looks like a halo. “I want to finally finish my book and curl up with you and watch all those movies I’ve missed and run errands with you and cook dinner for you for a change.” A wicked glint appears in his eye and his face suddenly is decidedly less angelic. “But tonight, I want to show you just how much I’ve missed you and how much I appreciate all you’ve done to keep me sane these past two months.” 

And just like that, Yusuf realizes he is done with dinner. 

They bypass the couch that night, instead heading directly to bed. There, amid the tangle of lips and the slide of bodies and the whispered endearments, the weight of the past two months falls away as Yusuf welcomes Nicky home.

**Author's Note:**

> Seriously, though, crunch is garbage and I hate it. Kotaku has some excellent articles on how it's played out at studios like Naughty Dog, Rock Star, and Bioware, or you can google "EA Widows". Nicky's comment that relationships end over crunch is 100% accurate.
> 
> ***
> 
> This one is a bit of a monster that got away from me. I might have had some pent up feelings to work through...


End file.
